Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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351. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when farmers, including those in special areas of conservation or cooperation project zones under ACRES, will receive payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28066/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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ACRES payments for 2023 commenced over the period December 2023 to January 2024, when €88.35 million was issued in advance payments to 19,719 ACRES General participants.

In recognition of the complexity of the scheme and the time required to fully process all payments, interim payments issued to all other participants in February and March 2024. Payments of €4,000 were made to General participants and €5,000 to Co-Operation participants.

The Department commenced balancing payments on the 19th of June, and 31,081 participants have been paid to date. Payments made to date to ACRES participants total just over €233m. Further balancing payments will continue to be made on a fortnightly basis as cases are cleared. No issues with Special Areas of Conservation or Co-Operation zones have been identified as preventing payments from issuing.